Africa-Press – Mauritius. At a press conference held this afternoon, in Port Louis, the Minister of Energy and Public Utilities, Mr Georges Pierre Lesjongard, reiterated Government’s commitment to work towards achieving the target of 60% renewable energy by 2030, reducing carbon emissions by 40% by 2030, and making the Green Energy industry an economic pillar of activity for a cleaner Mauritius for the population as well as for future generation.
The Minister underlined the key role of the Central Electricity Board (CEB) as a non-profit organisation but critical in the transmission, distribution and supply of electricity.
He recalled the recent restructuration of the CEB with a view to enabling it to contribute more efficiently to the achievement of the ambitions for the energy sector.
This entails the redeployment of some 110 employees from CEB (FACILITIES) Co. Ltd to departments of the CEB and the integration of the activities and functions of CEB (Green Energy) Co. Ltd as a full-fledge Unit of the CEB, among others.
According to Mr Lesjongard, the restructuration and investment in energy projects together with a series of other factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine-Russian conflict, the rise in the price of fuel oil and coal, the decrease in the production of bagasse, and the contribution of Rs 3 billion from the Reserve Funds of the CEB to the Consolidated Fund, have led to a deficit of Rs 4 billion.
He, however, gave the assurance that this deficit would not impact the CEB’s means to implement the required projects to increase the share of renewable energy in the electricity mix.
The Energy Minister added that though fossil fuel energy source accounted currently for 76% of electricity production, several initiatives are underway to attain 60% of renewable energy production by 2030.
These include the amendment of the CEB Act to provide for the conduct of renewable energy related schemes, the implementation of photovoltaic farms, the home solar projects, and the creation of a new Unit to drive the energy transition.
Mr Lesjongard recalled the launching, in June, of the National Biomass Framework which is in line with Government’s objectives of phasing out the use of coal in electricity generation by horizon 2030 and increasing bioelectricity production.
He spoke of the new Carbon Neutral Industrial Sector (CNIS) renewable energy Scheme which enables manufacturing enterprises to engage in clean, renewable electricity production. The possibility of extending such schemes to the ICT, hospitality and agricultural sectors is being envisaged , he added.
Moreover, the Minister underscored that Mauritius, as a founding member of the Global Biofuels Alliance, launched during the last G20 Leaders’ Summit in India, could bolster its adoption of biofuels as a means to accelerate its energy transition towards renewable energy.
It is noted that the objectives of the Alliance are to expedite the global uptake of biofuels through facilitating technology advancements, intensifying utilisation of sustainable biofuels, shaping robust standard setting and certification through the participation of a wide spectrum of stakeholders.
On another note, Mr Lesjongard affirmed that the Central Water Authority is taking the required steps to address any water shortages during the forthcoming dry season.
He averred that due to climate change, seawater desalination is now deemed essential in addressing Mauritius’s water needs. “In that respect, a Water Resources Bill would soon be presented at the National Assembly,” he said.
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